


He'd Have Called them Mad

by Persuade_me



Series: Arya/Gendry Week 2019 [5]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, axgweek, axgweek2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-01 22:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20265235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persuade_me/pseuds/Persuade_me
Summary: If anyone had told him that Arya Stark would kiss him and call him husband, he'd have called them mad.A companion piece to "An Unexpected Betrothal"Written for Arya/Gendry Week. Day 5 - Don't lie to me





	He'd Have Called them Mad

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't read An Unexpected Betrothal, you probably should read it first. The whole thing will make a lot more sense if you do.

Gendry was terrified. Terrified, bewildered, and remarkably hopeful considering the circumstances. Arya had kissed him. Kissed him. Right there in front of everyone, and then loudly called him her husband.

He could have sworn he was dreaming. That he’d somehow fallen asleep and dreamed her lips on his. It was the only explanation, but then her brother had burst in looking like he wanted Gendry’s head on a pike and he knew it was real.

In all his life, he’d never experienced so many feelings in such a short amount of time. Surprise, joy, confusion, anger, fear, dread. All in the space of about two minutes. It was like getting punched in the gut ten times in a row, and now he felt as if he must be marching to his death.

After she’d left, Arya’s brother had fixed him with such a piercing stare, he almost threw himself on the ground and confessed everything, but then he remembered.

Elmar Frey.

He remembered, and his blood had gone cold and then raging hot. Gendry remembered him from Harrenhal, scurrying around, and the way Arya’d complain about him. He couldn’t let her marry him, _ wouldn’t_ let her marry him. He would protect her, in whatever way he could just like he had been for years. 

Arya rarely needed protecting, he knew that. She was more than capable of taking care of herself, even surrounded by outlaws, but as much as she denied it, she was still a highborn lady and there were things she couldn’t escape.

He’d been dreading it for years, selfish as it was. Dreading her reunion with her family because he knew what it would mean. She had insisted that nothing would change, that he could smith for her brother, and they’d let him stay. But he wasn’t stupid. He knew. She’d be Arya Stark, princess of the north, and he’d be the bastard blacksmith she was friends with once.

It was partly why he’d joined the Brotherhood. Because Gendry couldn’t be that. He couldn’t swear allegiance to her brother, lingering on the edge of her life to watch as she got married off to some high lord and had his children. Because he knew that’s what would happen. He’d lose her forever.

And for the last three days, ever since they’d arrived at Raventree Hall and he watched her mother sob as she held Arya close, he knew their time was almost over. That nothing he could do would ever stop it.

Until she kissed him and called him husband. 

She’d given him a chance to keep her, an opportunity to protect her, a way to love her. Not in the way he longed for, he wasn’t so delusional as to think she thought of him like that, but as a friend at least. If she needed him to claim her as his wife to keep her safe, then he’d do it. Even if her brother gelded him for it, though he was really hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

Before she’d left, Arya had made Robb swear not to harm him, and Starks kept their word. So despite the fact that he was currently flanked by four armed guards as he followed the King in the North through the castle, Gendry was cautiously optimistic that he’d get to keep all his important bits. When he saw Arya’s mother waiting for them, however, he thought perhaps he might be wrong. 

Catelyn Stark looked furious. She was standing next to the fire, watching Lord Beric pace back and forth in front of the fire, clearly agitated. At their entrance, they both spun around to stare. Catelyn’s eyes flashed, but when Lord Beric’s eyes fell on Gendry, he stopped short, a look of surprise and relief on his face. Arya’s mother stormed over and held a very quiet, but clearly heated discussion with Robb before sweeping from the room. 

Lord Beric moved over in front of Robb. “Your grace,” he said, “I do not know what to say. I cannot begin-”

Robb held up his hand. “Let’s hear what…” He trailed off. “I’m afraid I don’t remember your name,” he said, looking rather uncomfortable.

“Gendry, m’lo- Uh, your grace.” 

“Right.” He breathed out heavily. “Let’s hear what Gendry has to say first.” He moved to sit behind his heavy desk and gestured to the two chairs sitting in front of it. He sat staring at Gendry for several long moments. “Before we begin, you should know that if I ever thought my sister had been dishonored or hurt, if I thought she was being used or taken advantage of in any way, I would set Grey Wind on the person responsible without hesitation. Do you understand?” 

Gendry swallowed and nodded. “Yes, your grace.” 

“Gendry, it’s been many years since I’ve seen my sister, but the little girl I remember would have done or said anything to get out of something she did not want to do, and I can’t imagine the years apart have changed her so much that she still wouldn’t.” 

He fixed Gendry with a severe look. “I understand she might have spoken without thinking, and if that is the case, you will not be punished for her actions. You will be free to go and no harm will come to you. So please do not lie to me. Was she telling the truth? Did you marry her?”

If someone had told Gendry years ago that one day he’d be sitting in front of a king, prepared to lie and say he’d wedded and bedded his baby sister, he’d have called them mad. No one, especially a baseborn bastard from Flea Bottom, would be stupid enough to claim they’d been secretly fucking a princess for moons, not unless they had a pressing desire for castration or death. And yet, he was about to do exactly that. Because he was in love with her, and she needed his help.

He took a deep breath and looked the King in the North straight in the eye. “Yes, your grace. I did.”

Robb slumped back in his chair, and ran his hand over his rapidly reddening face. “And...the other thing. Was that the truth as well?”

Gendry looked down. He didn’t think it a good idea to look a king in the face and confess to having fucked his sister, even if it wasn’t actually true. “Yes, your grace, it is.” 

Lord Beric groaned loudly. “How could you, lad?”

He didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure what to say. All Arya had said was that she’d told them they got married at Acorn Hall four moons ago. Well, that and that they’d been fucking nonstop, but he really didn’t think he should mention that. Beyond that, he was afraid that anything he said would contradict her, but he had to say something. So he opted for the truth. As much as he could, anyway.

He took a deep breath and looked up at Arya’s brother, who had the power to kill him with a single word. “I love her, your grace. I have for more than a year now.”

Robb’s severe expression softened, just a little bit.

“I know that I had no right, your grace. I’m just a bastard. I have no name or lands to offer her. Nothing but a knighthood given in a cave and my hammer. But I swear, I never would have said a word about it. I’d have kept my love secret until the day I died. But when she looked me in the eye and told me she wanted me to be her husband...I couldn’t say no. I’ve never been able to say no to her.”

Arya’s brother was looking at him almost fondly. “She’s always been very hard to resist,” he said softly.

Gendy turned to Beric. “It was wrong to marry in secret. I know that, but you know Arya. She has her own mind, and she was determined.” 

“Aye, the little lady can be stubborn,” Beric said. He turned to Robb. “Your grace, I must apologize. I should have paid closer attention to the pair of them, as inseparable as they were. When they came to us, they were almost as siblings. It did not occur to me that their relationship might change.”

Robb sighed. “Arya has always chafed against the rules. I shouldn’t be surprised that she chose to get married to a blacksmith without telling anyone.” He looked at Gendry. “When we negotiated the betrothal with Lord Frey years ago, I knew Arya would resist, but leave it to her to find a way out without even knowing about it.” He ran his hands over his face. “My good father will be disappointed, but he will have to understand. Arya knew nothing of the arrangement and cannot be blamed for breaking it.”

Gendry felt as if a weight had lifted. She wouldn’t have to marry Elmar Frey after all. He wouldn’t have to leave her. He could stay with her always. Not as the blacksmith serving her brother but as her husband. Well, pretend husband, but that was enough for him. He was almost giddy with relief. 

“I suppose we should have someone show you to your rooms then,” Robb’s voice broke into his thoughts, and his stomach dropped.

“Rooms?” 

“Arya’s rooms. Yours as well now.” 

Oh. 

“Oh.” 

Robb looked at him strangely. “Unless you’d rather sleep in that room off the forge.”

“No, your grace. Of course not.” 

“I’ll have a guard show you the way.” He looked at Gendry thoughtfully. “I think my father would have liked you.”

“I met him once,” Gendry said. “In King’s Landing. He came to see me at the shop.”

Robb narrowed his eyes. “Came to see you? Or came to see the shop?”

Gendry blinked. “Me. I think.”

“Hmm.” Robb stared at him for a moment. “We’ll have to talk more later, but for now I think you must return to Arya. She’s probably worried sick.”

Gendry followed a guard back to the forge where he tried his best to avoid meeting anyone’s eyes and gathered his few belongings. As he trailed after the guard back through the castle, his mind tried to make sense of everything that had happened in the last few days.

They’d finally caught up to Robb Stark and his army, and he thought he’d lost his best friend, the woman he loved forever. But instead of losing her, he’d been called her husband and was now on his way to her rooms, _ their _rooms. Sent by her brother, the king in the north. 

The guard in front of him stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, nodded at him, and left. 

He stood staring at the door. Arya was in there. In her rooms. Where she slept. Where he was now expected to sleep. If sleeping beside her surrounded by the Brotherhood had been hard, sleeping in a room alone with her was going to be torture. But he’d do it. He would do anything for her. Because he loved her. With all his heart, he loved her, and now he never had to leave her again. 

But what if she wanted him to leave? He knew that she’d spoken impulsively to avoid marrying Elmar Frey, but that didn’t mean she wanted to be stuck with him forever. What if she regretted it? What if they stopped being friends? What if she fell in love with someone, but could never marry because she’d claimed to be married to him? What if? What if? What if?

He was getting overwhelmed. Confused by the situation and his conflicting emotions. His only coherent thought was that he needed to see Arya, so he pushed open the door.

***

If someone had told Gendry that morning that he’d end the day naked in bed, having been thoroughly fucked by a princess who he just secretly married in the dead of night, he’d have called them mad. No one, especially a baseborn bastard from Flea Bottom, would be stupid enough to expect that. And yet, that’s exactly what happened.


End file.
